Beauty

By Myrto Zapandioti

They pulled out your horns, your claws, your fangs

They carved them into necklaces and wrapped them around your neck

You’re finally beautiful; watery eyes and bloody gums

But you smile

You smile because you were ordered to

You smile because your life depends on it

Your teeth holding back the blood in your mouth

Your teeth holding back your pain

You open your mouth and the blood comes gashing out

But your blood is not beautiful

So you never open your mouth again

You never speak, you never think

You just smile

The others look down on you now

They have sharp claws, like the ones you had before they took them away from you

Now you have become weak

You have become their target

As their claws are piercing your soft skin

You are being told to smile once more

Because your screams aren’t pretty

Neither is your blood because your blood is yours

And you are not beautiful; only your pain is.